How Do I Assess What Should be Assessed?

This was a really interesting unit to work on for me. I had the opportunity to explore a small portion of the CELPIP (Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program). I had never had the occasion to look at this type of assessment tool. It really showed me the importance of connecting what is being taught in the class to what a student might need to do, outside of the classroom, to demonstrate their learning. I don't really consider this teaching to the test, rather giving them the opportunity to practice the skills that they would need to have in order to successfully complete the test. Is that a case of a rose by any other name? I don't think so. I think that the test prepares students to achieve their goals outside of the classroom. If they can demonstrate their learning within the parameters of the test they should be able to apply those skills in the real-world. My job as a teacher is to provide them with those opportunities to practice in a safe environment, which would include some real-life tasks.

Do I teach to the test?

This is an  age old question. Traditional teachers and goal driven learners really support the summative approach that involves testing. It is a clear-cut way to determine whether you have mastered what the course requires you to know, usually to move on to the next level. I understand that some courses may not have the luxury of using alternative ways to measure learning but if our true goal is to see if our students are mastering what we have taught we need to add alternatives to the traditional rote testing that is done. We need to be able to see if our students can apply their learning in the correct context. Many of us have had professionals (doctors, teachers, dentists) who were excellent book learners and regurgitators of knowledge, yet when it came to practical skills they were lacking. Not only should we provide alternatives to data collection we should be using our formative assessments to determine what changes we need to make to our teaching to facilitate the learning of our students. So my answer would be no I don't teach to the test...I teach the learner.

 Teaching to the test vs Testing What you teach

What do learners really need and how do I find out?

I really appreciate that prior to planning and implementing a unit of study that we are polling our students, in which ever way suits the learners and environment, to find out what they know and what they want to know. More so in the past, instructors would teach curriculum that may not have been relevant to the students, it could be either too easy or too difficult. Students might already have a great deal of experience with the topic and need to build on what they already know. Two new assessments I read about were a timeline and showing a picture to the class and asking questions to determine next steps. For the timeline students create a written or pictorial timeline that indicates major events in their lives (past and present). They also indicate their future goals. This provides initial information about the lives and goals of the students. (CAELA guide: Oct. 2007) For the picture provocation, the example cited was to show a picture of a worker to the class. Then specific questions are asked such as: What skills do you think he would need? What tools would he need? I could see using this if I was teaching a class that focused on job skills. Students could self-assess as the class goes through the pictures to determine what skills they might need to have to attain a particular job. I look forward to using needs assessments with my classes in the future.

The CAELA Guide for Adult ESL Trainees (Oct. 2007). Retrieved from :http://www.cal.org/caela/scb/guide.html

Final thoughts

I've really enjoyed this course. In part it was due to a topic near and dear to my heart-reading. I love reading and all that comes with it. I am a natural think-aloud person when I read and often share that with my students. I have applied many of the strategies suggested in classes and can attest that they work well for all students in some capacity. The adult learner will discover what works for them and will apply it to activate and sustain their learning.
In addition to the reading component Unit 4 also had a section on learning styles and how those impact the learner. There was an article by Paul Howard Jones (2014) Brain baloney that talks about brain based learning and the myths around the research. Should we be focusing on multi-modalities to the point of students only learning according to a preference or indicated strength (visual, auditory, kinesthetic)? I think the truth lies somewhere between the article and all of the brain based research. We need to provide multiple ways in for our learners and multiple ways for them to demonstrate their learning. We need to consider the composition of our classes, the content and teaching from a strength based approach rather than a deficit approach. One size does not fit all whether we are referring to the learner or the lesson.
I also appreciated the opportunity to interact with peers and the instructor in this unit through our Talking Circles. I found the sessions informative for not only the skills I needed but also in the application of what I am learning-and isn't that what we want for all of our students?

Unit 4: Passing the torch to students

This unit reminded me of the importance of student involvement in the learning process. I think this is even more important to the adult learner. Often our students are professionals in their home country, and they have been in charge of their goal-setting for many years. As an educator I can help facilitate this by beginning with a needs assessment. While being mindful of the curriculum you also have to take into consideration the make-up of the class, what is it that they most need to move forward? Providing opportunities for students to self-reflect and goal-set would be built in to my weekly lessons. The PBLA provides a section where students can monitor their progress. I think that building in a specific time into the week is important so that it becomes a habit that students get used to as they continue on their learning journey. Students also need the opportunity to apply what they have learned in a real-life context. Skill building of course is important, but there is a strong need to apply those skills in daily activities. This circles back to the needs assessment as the teacher can intertwine the needs of the class with the tasks in class. For example, if students identify that they are finding it difficult to deal with 'customer service' (landlord issues, returning an item, asking for help in a store), tasks can be built in to the lessons to help them to develop that skill set. The reflection component in the above example could include them describing how they applied the lesson in their real-life (I was able to get my landlord to fix my sink, I exchanged an item at the store) and also what their challenges and next steps would be. Taking the measure of the needs of the class, encouraging self-reflection and providing task-based activities are all good opportunities to help develop autonomous learners.

Autonomous learning venngage 

Teaching adult learners